


Moments We Thought We'd Never Get

by SunflowerFangirl



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons), Trollhunters - Daniel Kraus & Guillermo del Toro
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Spoilers for Wizards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 9,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25787188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerFangirl/pseuds/SunflowerFangirl
Summary: A series of Oneshots after the events of Wizards. MAJOR SPOILERS FOR WIZARDS YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
Relationships: Barbara Lake/Walter Strickler | Stricklander, Jim Lake Jr./Claire Nuñez, Steve Palchuk/Eli Pepperjack
Comments: 64
Kudos: 231





	1. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim reunites with his mother after becoming Human again.

Jim took a tentative step onto the porch, drawing a deep breath.

"Do you want us to wait out here?" Claire asks, squeezing her Boyfriend's hand. After getting used to the sunlight again, Jim had insisted that their first stop is at his mom's house.

"No, you can come in, I might need help explaining everything," Jim says, smiling nervously. It was still so surreal to him, he was a human again! Did he always have the ability to regain his humanity? And if so, why didn't Merlin tell him?

He pushed those questions to the back of his head. Right now, he just wanted to hug his mother.

Before he could psyche himself out, he pressed the doorbell.

There was a rustling, followed by the sound of babies crying. "One second!" came his mother's voice from the other side of the door.

A minute later, the crying had quieted. Jim heard the click of a lock and the door opened to reveal his mother.

Her hair was pulled back in its usual bun, with hair breaking loose in every direction. She looked tired but happier. Her eyes went wide with recognition.

"Jim..." She says, almost like a question.

"Hi, mom," He smiles. What are you supposed to say to your mother after letting a medieval wizard turn you into a half-troll, leaving her to protect a city of trolls as they trek across the country, getting stuck in the past, having a knight turn you into a full-on troll, almost dying, and then returning home entirely human?

"Is-is this real?" she asks.

"Yeah, mom, I'm actually here," he says, taking a step closer. "I know you have a lot of que-"

He was cut off by his mother wrapping him in a bone-crushing hug. "My beautiful boy," she says with tears in her eyes. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too, mom," Jim says, hugging her tighter.

After they pulled away, she held him out at arm's length, examining him. "You have a lot of explaining to do, mister."

"Yeah, I deserve that," Jim chuckles, following his mother into the house. He was finally home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to all of the crazy people like me who have already watched all of Wizards! There were a lot of scenes I wish we could've gotten with human Jim, so I decided to start this series of Oneshots. I will try to come up with an update scheduel, for now I'm going to update once a day, but I will reevaluate if that gets too hard. Thank you for reading! If there are any scenes you would like to see, let me know (plz keep them PG).


	2. Shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim takes his first shower in a while.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in," Barbara says. "You were really stuck in time?"

"Yup," Jim confirms. "Who would've thought the Renaissance fairs actually got it right?"

"But Merlin is dead," Strickler says, a concerned frown pulled at his rocky skin. "He was slain by the Arcane Order."

"And I'm pretty sure he's going to be back for Nari sooner rather than later," Jim says. He still didn't know what to think about Strickler living in his house, but right now, he was too tired to say anything about it.

"I'll need to speed up construction on the new hero's forge," Strickler tells him. "There are a lot of promising warriors in arcadia, but they need more training if they want to have a chance against the Arcane Order."

"You get on that," Jim says, stifling a yawn.

"Are you okay, sweetie, you look tired?" Barbara asks.

"It's been a long few days," he admits. "I think I'm going to hit the shower. Trolls don't have the best hygiene. I miss soap."

"Understandable," Barbara laughs. "Enjoy it, kiddo."

Jim turned the shower onto it's hottest setting and stepped inside, letting out a yelp.

"Are you okay in there, sweetie?" His mom's voice calls.

"Yup, I just forgot my skin isn't made of rock anymore!" Jim assures her, embarrassed.

He turns the water to a cooler setting and steps in again. He allowed the water to cascade down his newly-softened skin.

After making sure every inch of him had been thoroughly cleaned, he stood in the stream of water until the water fell onto his skin like ice droplets.

Jim emerges from the bathroom sometime later. _God, I missed showers,_ he thinks to himself as he crawls into his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! If you have any specific scenes you'd like to see, feel free to let me know in the comments!


	3. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim makes breakfast for his mom.

Jim woke with the sun the next morning. Every inch of his body screamed at him to go back to sleep, but there was something that he wanted to do.

He made his way downstairs. No one else was awake yet. Perfect.

He silently praised his mother for keeping a well-stocked pantry in his absence.

Jim quickly fell into a familiar rhythm, humming along to the radio as he threw ingredients into the skillet.

There was the sound of footsteps making their way down the stairs right as he was putting the finishing touches on the plates.

"Jim?" His mother asks, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I'm human," he grins. "I can enjoy my own cooking again!"

"Fair enough, Dr. Lake smiles at her son. "What are you waiting for, let's dig in!"

Turns out, omelets taste even better when you've been eating socks for a year.

"I missed this," Jim says as he cleans his plate.

"I did too," Barbara agrees. "It's good to have you home, sweetie, I missed you." She pulls her son into a tight hug.

"I missed you, too," Jim says, returning her embrace. "So, when were you gonna tell me about you and Strickler?"

"Walter needed a place to stay as he rebuilt the hero's forge and I needed help finding homes for all of the babies," she says defensively. "There's nothing between us but a good friendship."

"You don't have to hide it from me, mom," Jim says. "I know you like him. As long as you're happy, and I'm sure he won't try to hurt you, I'll support you."

"Thanks, Jim, that means a lot," she says, kissing him on the forehead. "Now come on, I want you to meet all of the little ones."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> I plan on writing a scene with Steve and Eli in the near future. It will be a prequel of sorts to my Steli fic I did for Pride month this year, so feel free to check that out if you'd like to. I'll see you all tomorrow!


	4. Your Kind of Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Douxie teaches Nari about rock music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics belong to U2.

Douxie leaned back against his rolled-up sleeping bag, lazily strumming the notes to a song he'd been obsessed with years ago.

They'd followed Jim's map of safe spaces for supernatural creatures, today they'd been led to a small town in Missouri.

"Your kind of music is so weird," Nari notes.

"What do you mean?" Douxie asks, taking offense.

"You call it rock music, but I never hear any rocks," she says.

"Rock music isn't played with rocks," Douxie explains. "It's played with drums, guitars, bass, and keyboards."

"Then why is it called rock music," she asks, still confused.

"I'm not sure," Douxie admits. "I think it's open to interpretation. There are so many different types of rock music, just like there are so many different people who enjoy it."

"But why does it always have to sound so... harsh?" she asks.

"Not all of them are," he tells her. "Here, I'll show you."

He clears his throat, adjusts his guitar, and begins to play. 

_The heart is a bloom  
_ _Shoots up through the stony ground  
_ _There's no room  
_ _No space to rent in this town_

_You're out of luck_   
_And the reason that you had to care_   
_The traffic is stuck_   
_And you're not moving anywhere_

_You thought you'd found a friend_   
_To take you out of this place_   
_Someone you could lend a hand_   
_In return for grace_

_It's a beautiful day_   
_Sky falls, you feel like_   
_It's a beautiful day_   
_Don't let it get away_

_You're on the road_   
_But you've got no destination_   
_You're in the mud_   
_In the maze of her imagination_

_You're lovin' this town_   
_Even if that doesn't ring true_   
_You've been all over_

_And it's been all over you_

_It's a beautiful day_   
_Don't let it a getaway_   
_It's a beautiful day_

_Touch me_   
_Take me to that other place_   
_Teach me_   
_I know I'm not a hopeless case_

_See the world in green and blue_   
_See China right in front of you_   
_See the canyons broken by cloud_   
_See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out_   
_See the Bedouin fires at night_   
_See the oil fields at first light and_   
_See the bird with a leaf in her mouth_

_After the flood all the colors came out_

_It was a beautiful day_   
_Don't let it a get away_   
_Beautiful day_

_Touch me_   
_Take me to that other place_   
_Reach me_   
_I know I'm not a hopeless case_

_What you don't have you don't need it now_   
_What you don't know you can feel it somehow_   
_What you don't have you don't need it now_   
_Don't need it now_   
_It was a beautiful day_

"That was beautiful," Nari says. "What is it about?"

"Like all rock songs, it depends on who's listening to it," Douxie explains.

"Well, what do you think it's about?"

He thinks for a second. "I like to think of it as a song of hope," he says. "I think it tells you that if you want to make the world a better place, you first have to acknowledge the beauty that is already there."

"That's... poetic."

"Yeah, I guess it is," he blushes.

"I like this song. Are there more like it?" she asks.

"The band's been around for a while, so yeah," he says. "But my voice is nothing compared to Bono's."

"Who's Bono?" she asks. "That's a rather strange name."

"Bono is the lead singer for the band. That's his stage name." Douxie checks his phone, it was almost dead, and the small safehouse they were staying in didn't have an outlet. "I think I saw am old record store on our way here. I'll be back in a minute."

"Okay," Nari says.

Half an hour later, Douxie returned, triumphantly holding a walkman and two tapes.

"What are those?" Nari asks.

"You said you wanted to hear more of their songs, so I got them for you," Douxie blushes. "The lady at the store threw in the second one for free. Said something about being glad today's youth still appreciated good music"

"Thank you, that was very kind of you," Nari smiles.

After demonstrating how to properly work the machine, Douxie watched as Nari began to listen. Her face was unreadable for the first minute, but soon her lips began to turn up into a relaxed smile.

Twenty minutes later, she pauses the music and hands the headphones to him. "You should get a turn," she says.

"Thanks," Douxie says, putting the headphones around his neck. "What did you think?"

"I think I kind of like your kind of music," she smiles.

"Glad to hear it," he smiles before slipping the headphones over his ears and allowing himself to get lost in the music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Douxie sand is by one of my favorite bands, U2. I have a headcannon that Douxie loves old rock music, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to mention my favorite rock band. If you'd like to check out their music, I would reccomend their albums _The Joshua Tree, Songs of Innocence, and Songs of Experience._
> 
> Thank you for reading! A special thank you to everyone who has left such nice comments on this work, you make this process a lot more fun. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!


	5. Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve tells Aja something that he learned about himself in Camelot.

Steve fidgeted nervously with his cell phone. He knew that he was doing the right thing, but he was still scared of hurting Aja.

Before he could chicken out, he pressed the button to call her. She picked up after the second ring, and her smiling face appeared on the screen.

"Steve!" she says brightly. "How have you been?"

"Well, aside from getting stuck in time for a week and having to fight in one of the greatest battles in history, I'd say I'm doing pretty good," he jokes.

"Oh, yes, Krel told me about that," She says. "I'm really glad you're safe."

"Thanks," he says, deciding to get to the point, "Aja, I need to tell you something."

"Of course, you know you can tell me anything," she says, her smile turning more nervous.

"When I was in Camelot, I realized something about myself," Steve begins. "Well, I'm not sure if realized is the right word. I think the feeling has been there for a while, but I kept on trying to push it down instead of facing it, The point is, I like guys. Like- _like_ like guys. I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize," Aja says, giving him a comforting smile. "I'm glad you told me."

"Really?" he asks. "You aren't mad?"

"I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to tell me," she says. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be here."

"Thanks, Aja," he smiles.

"So, is there anyone in particular who has caught your eye?" She asks, propping her chin on top of her top two fists and folding the other two hands in front of her.

"Uh, kind of," Steve says, rubbing the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed.

"Do tell," she says.

"Um... I think I kinda have a crush on Eli," he says, so quickly it was almost inaudible.

"The Eli!" she shouts excitedly. "I- what is it the humans say? Oh, I ship it!

"Please don't tell anybody," he says, embarrassed. "I want them to hear it from me."

"My lips are sealed," she says, using her bottom right hand to make a zipping motion across her lips. "I have to go, there are delegates from another planet coming tomorrow, and there are still some things I need to finish up."

"Okay, tell Eli I said hi," she smiles.

"I will," she promises. "Tell Krel I send my love! Bye!"

Steve let out a grateful sigh. He had the best friends in the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! If you'd like to see what happens with Steve and Eli after this, you can check out my other work: "I Can't Keep Pretending." I hope to do a couple of future chapters including the Steli ship, so let me know if that's something you'd be interested in. Just to be clear: I still think Staja is a great ship, but Steli will always have a special place in my heart.  
> I hope you are all staying safe and healthy!


	6. Regular High School Stuff

Jim waited patiently as the phone rang. Two seconds later, a voice picked up.

”Hey, Jim,” Claire says, he could hear the smile in her voice.

”Hey, I was wondering if you’re free tonight?” He asks.

”Yeah, why?” She asks suspiciously.

”You’ll see,” he promises. “I’ll pick you up at 6:30.”

Before she could say anything else, he hung up and got to work.

\- - - 

Jim pulled up to the Nuñez house at 6:29 sharp. He walked up to the doorstep and rang the doorbell right as the clock struck 6:30.

”One second,” came a voice from the other side of the door.

There was a rustling from the other side of the door. Jim checked his outfit one last time. Strickler, having not lost his fashion sense when becoming full-troll, had insisted on helping him get dressed. In the end they had decided on a pair of brown slacks and a blue button-down shirt. It was different from what Jim would’ve picked out, but he had to admit, he looked good.

A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal Claire. She wore a dark blue dress with matching shoes, with a denim jacket over her shoulders to fend off the mid-September chill.

”Wow, you look... beautiful,” Jim says, taking her in.

”You don’t look too bad yourself,” she smiles.

”Have fun!” Mrs. Nuñez calls from the living room.

”Not too much fun!” Her husband adds. “I want her home by 10!”

”Of course,” Jim says. “So, shall we?”

”You haven’t even told me where we’re going,” she says.

”That’s because it’s a surprise,” he smiles.

”Fine, just as long as we don’t get interrupted by a Trollhunting mission,” she jokes.

”Don’t jinx it,” Jim replies. “Arcadia could still find a way to mess this up for me.”

”Well, maybe it realizes that you need a break,” she says. “You deserve to go out every once and a while without having to save the town.”

”I hope so,” Jim agrees. “Come on, I don’t want the food to get cold.”

They hopped onto the Vespa and Jim followed the familiar road to the meadow that overlooked the town. Toby had helped him lay out a picnic blanket and set up their meal. It was a scene straight out of a cheesy romance movie.

”Jim, this is beautiful,” Claire says, taking in the scene. “You didn’t have to do all of this.”

”I wanted to,” Jim tells her. “It’s our first date post-troll me. I wanted it to be special.”

”It would’ve been special no matter what you did,” she says. “But I very much appreciate your efforts.”

”Here, have a seat,” Jim says, motioning to an empty space on the blanket. “Now enjoy Fettuccini A La Jimbo.”

She giggled. “You know what that means, right?”

”Yeah, Tobee said he wouldn’t help me unless I promised to say that,” Jim laughs. “Now dig in!”

”That was delicious,” Claire says once they finished desert.

”Thanks,” Jim says. “I found the recipe in my grandmother’s old recipe binder a few days before Merlin turned me into a troll. I’ve been wanting to try it ever since.

”Well, I think you did a great job,” she says.

”Come on, I have one more surprise for you,” Jim says, leading her into the middle of the field. He plugged his phone into a small speaker and music began to play.

They began to sway to the music. They held each other close, just enjoying being in each other’s presence. After a couple of minutes, Claire tilted her head up to catch his lips.

”Wow, that’s really different without the fangs,” she says once they pull away.

”A good different, I hope,” Jim ask.

”Obviously,” she grins. “Thank you, Jim. Tonight was perfect.”

”I couldn’t agree more,” Jim smiles. It felt great to be human again. To be able to hold his girlfriend without fear of breaking her. To watch the sunset. It truly was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Today’s chapter was a bit longer, so I’m going to take a break from posting tomorrow to get ahead on the next few chapters. Feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments.  
> I hope you guys are all staying safe and healthy!


	7. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blinky comes to Jim with good news.

"Jim!" came a voice from the basement.

The trollhunter jumped up from the couch. Had Strickler come home early? Had someone found the tunnel from trollmarket? He grabbed a broom, really wishing he still had his amulet and crept downstairs.

"Who's there?" he asks trying (and failing) to summon his gruff troll voice.

"Master Jim! I have amazing news!" came a familiar voice. After a few more steps, Jim could see Blinky bounding out of the underground tunnel.

"Blinky," Jim says, relieved, "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"I'm fairly certain that a heart wouldn't do that to its own vessel," Blinky says. "I have news!"

"What is it?" Jim asks.

"I'm a genius! Years ago, when you told me about the destruction of the hearthstone, Douxie helped me to develop a way to bring the magic back!" he says. "I hid it in a place where only I could find it. I'd forgotten about it until I came across it while visiting my study."

"That's great news, Blinky," Jim smiles.

"Think of all the things we could accomplish! Two colonized Hearthstones so close to one another. We could become the most advanced society trollkind has seen!"

"So, how are you going to do it?" Jim asks.

"Well, I'll need to harvest some ingredients fresh before the spell can be performed. AAARRRGGHH!!! and I may be gone for a bit. Would you be willing to keep up our nightly patrols until we get back?"

"Of course," Jim agrees.

"Thank you, Jim," Blinky says. "I must be off. The sooner we restore the hearthstone, the sooner we can begin preparing for the return of the Arcane Order."

"Be safe out there, Blink," Jim says, embracing his mentor.

"We will return by the next full moon," Blinky promises. "We can begin reconstruction then."

"I'll see you then," Jim smiles. Blinky turns back towards trollmarket and Jim dials Toby's number. "Hey, feeling up for a bit of Trollhunter patrol tonight?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I have plans for a couple of chapters that take place in Trollmarket, so I needed a way to bring it back. As always, feel free to leave any suggustions below.
> 
> On another note: I'm going to start updating every day accept Friday. This will allow me to write some of my chapters beforehand so I don't have to spend as much time every day. Thank you all for being flexible!
> 
> Remember to take care of yourself in these stressful times. I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!


	8. Options

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blinky asks Jim for advice.

"Master Jim?" Blinky asks, creeping up the staircase into the living room. "May I have a word?"

"Sure, Blink, what do you need?" Jim asks, setting aside the union he'd been chopping.

"Well, construction on New rollmarket has been going rather smoothly, but it's left me with a few questions. I think I might be the one in need of guidance this time."

"You've helped me so much, Blinky. I'd be happy to help in any way I can," Jim says.

"Well, if the war is coming to an end, and the Amulet is destroyed, there will be no more use for my teachings," Blinky says. "Everyone else seems fine with doing whatever they can after the war is over, but I still want to make a difference! There are so many options, but at the same time, none of them feel right."

Jim blows out a deep breath. "Wow, that's a tough one," he admits.

"As I am well aware," Blinky says. "What should I do?"

"Well..." Jim says thoughtfully. "You know so much about the history of Trollkind. You could teach younger trolls or anyone who wants to learn. You always say it's important to know about your past."

"Great Gorkus, you're absolutely right!" Blinky says, rushing to stand up. "I knew I could count on you, Master Jim, thank you!"

With that, Blinky rushes back downstairs.

"Glad I could help!" Jim calls after him." He was anxious to see what Blinky would do with this advice. He'd just have to wait and find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I love the idea of Blinky being a teacher to the next generation on trolls, so I'll definetely be writing more about this at a later date.
> 
> Make sure to leave any suggestions in the comments!
> 
> Make sure to take some time for yourself! I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!


	9. Bro Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim joins the guys for some bro time.

The heroes of Arcadia sat at the lunch table at their new-and-improved school.

"Man, this place is much nicer than the old courtyard," Jim notes.

"Yeah, I guess there are a lot of plus sides to having your school destroyed by a magical floating island," Toby says. "I still can't believe the town was able to pay for it all!"

"I am surprised as well," Krel agrees. "Based on the quality of my prior experiences here, I assumed the town cared very little about the quality of our education."

"It sucks that we actually have to go to school now," Steve complains. "I mean, we saved the world but we still need to multiply fractions!"

"I hate to break it to ya, but that's the price of being the hero," Jim shrugs.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Toby announces. "What if we all go out and celebrate our first week back at school? Just like old times, right Jimbo?"

"Sounds fun," Jim agrees. "You guys in?"

"My schedule is clear," Krel says. "Sure."

"We can do it at my house," Steve offers.

"I can't. My parents are going out of town and they need me to watch Enrique," Claire says. "But you guys have fun."

"Yes!" Steve shouts. "Bro time!"

"Sounds good to me," Jim says. "I can't wait."

\- - -

Jim pulled his Vespa into the Pilchuck driveway Saturday night. He knocked on the door, which was immediately answered by Steve.

"Come on in, Buttsnack, we were just about to get started without you!" Steve says, leading him down to the basement.

Toby and Krel were waiting in the basement. Krel sat cross-legged against the couch with a bag of cheese puffs open in front of him. Toby was flopped down in a beanbag, texting on his phone. A whiteboard sat in the corner of the room with two tables drawn on them in blue marker.

"What's that for?" Jim asks, grabbing a soda and taking a seat.

"It's for the tournament," Krel informs him. "I read about them online. I figured I could use this hangout as an opportunity to gather more research on the way humans live."

"So, what are we playing?" Jim asks.

"I was thinking, since Krel has never been exposed to the classics, we should play Super Smash Bros," Steve says.

"I haven't played that game in years," Toby says.

"Me neither," Jim agrees.

"Then we'll all be on an even playing field," Steve says. "Come on, for nostalgia'sss sake."

"I'm pretty sure the last time I played this, you still enjoyed beating me up," Toby tells him. "Those aren't exactly times I wish to remember."

"Again, I'm sorry guys, but I'm a changed man!" Steve says, motioning around him for emphasis. "Please?"

"Sure," Jim shrugs. "But take it easy on me, I haven't had much time for videogames since becoming the trollhunter, I'm a bit rusty."

"oof looks like you're gonna lose the bet," Steve jokes.

"What bet?" Jim asks.

"Loser has to help the winner in some way for a month," Steve smiles. "I hope you're all ready to wash my jersey."

"Fine," Jim says. "Let the games begin."

After going over how the tournament was set up, they began. Krel won all of his preliminary matches. Apparently, Akirideon video games were very similar to the ones on Earth. Jim Managed to win against Toby, But he had a feeling his friend was taking it easy on him. Steve manages to win both of his other matches, taking second place, leaving Jim and Toby tied for third.

Steve was easily defeated by Krel, despite both Toby and Jim cheering him on. And though Jim put up a fight, Toby emerged victoriously.

To no one's surprise, krel ended up beating Toby, making him victorious.

"Hm..." Krel thinks. 'Jim, you have to make my school lunch for the month."

"That's fair," Jim admits. It wasn't the worst that could've happened.

"Toby, Steve, you are to assist me and help me clean up in my lab whenever I need it," he decides."

"Really? I don't know anything about your alien tech?" Steve protests. He was secretly thrilled. Maybe he'd learn something that he'd be able to share with Eli later.

\- - - 

Jim couldn't help but smile as he drove home that night.

"Did you have a good time?" Dr. Lake asks as he walks in.

"Yeah," Jim smiles. He didn't care if he had to make his friends lunch for a year, he was just glad that things felt like they were back to normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the late update today. I had family over and writer's block was not in my favor either. I promise I have a great chapter planned for tomorrow.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave any suggestions down below!
> 
> Everyone stay safe and healthy!


	10. Prom?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim prepares the perfect Prom-posal.

“Ya know, Jimbo, Prom’s coming up. Do you have anything special planned?” Toby asks as they biked home one day.

”Yeah, Claire and I already agreed that we want to go. I’m pretty sure she already has her dress and stuff figured out.”

”But did you officially inviter her?” Toby asks.

“No, we just kind of agreed on it,” Jim shrugs.

”Dude, you gotta do a prom-posal!” Toby insists. “It’s like tradition!”

’I guess I did always dream about asking her to prom...” Jim says thoughtfully. “You’re right, I should do it right. Could you help me with something?”

”Sure, Dude,” Toby smilies. “Just tell me what you need me to do.”

\- - -

Jim knocked on the door to Claire’s house that weekend. Turns out the Trollhunter armor was a lot more comfortable than the Shakespearean costume he’d been able to find online. He probably looked ridiculous, but it was for Claire. Before he had time to change his mind, the door opened.

”Jim, what are you-“ Claire asks, confused.

He cleared his throat. “Fair Lady Claire, would you be the Juliet to my Romeo at Prom?” He asks, holding out a bouquet of flowers. Now that he thought about it, he probably could’ve written something a bit better. Was this too cheesy? What if she hated it?

”Of course I will, silly,” Claire laughs, stepping out onto the porch to hug him. “I thought we’d covered this already.”

”Yeah, but I wanted to make it official,” Jim blushes.

”Well then. Officially, Sir Jim Lake, I would love to go to prom with you,” she grins before pulling him into a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading. As you can probably guess, I will be posting the Prom chapter soon. I was going to wait a while, but after Grom (The Owl House fandom knows what I’m talking about,) I needed to write something Prom related.
> 
> As always, feel free to leave any comments or suggestions below, I love hearing from you guys!
> 
> I hope you are all staying safe and healthy!


	11. Sorry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve appologises to Jim.

"Hey, Jim, can I talk to you for a second?" Steve asks as they make their way to the parking lot after school one day.

"Sure, Steve, what do you need?" Jim asks.

"Well, I know we've kinda overcome our differences and have been able to work together for a while now, but I realized that I've never really apologised for everything I did to you."

"Steve, it's okay," Jim says.

"No, it's not," He insists. "I was a complete turd. I think I did all that stuff 'cause I was scared people would reject me. I thought it was better to be feared than to have no one who cared about you. But, I think I finally found people who will accept me for who I really am, not hate me for who I was. So, I'm sorry. And thank you for being one of those people."

"You're welcome, Steve," Jim says. "I'm glad you have the heart to appologise. It means a lot to me, and I bet it meant a lot to Eli, too."

"Oh, speaking of Eli," Steve says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "He and I are kind of a thing now."

"Really? How did you... figure it out?" Jim asks.

"I'm not sure," Steve admits. "I think when he first came out, it kinda hit me, but I pushed those feelings down, hoping they would just go away. I think- I think I was afraid people would reject me like, like my father did. But when we were stuck in Camelot,, I found myself thinking about him a lot. Wondering if I'd ever see him again. I decided that we don't know how much time we have left, with the impending war and all, and that I wanted to make the best of it."

"I'm really happy for you guys," Jim says. "And I'm glad you felt like you could tell me. You know, if you ever have any... big feelings about your dad, you can always talk to me. No one really knows how to deal with that sort of thing, but no one should have to go through it alone."

"Thanks Jim." Steve smiles. "Telling people makes it a lot easier."

"No problem, Steve," Jim says. "And don't worry, I won't tell anybody about you and Eli. You deserve to let them know on your own time."

"You're the best," Steve says. “I gotta go, I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Steve day down in his car, smiling. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. And it felt amazing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I really like writing Steve’s character development, so I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Make sure to leave any suggestions in the comments!
> 
> Hope you’re all staying safe and healthy!


	12. Stories to Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr, Lake decides to take up an old hobby.

Dr lake sighed as she stepped into her house. It had been a long day.

”You okay, mom?” Jim asks, worried.

”Yeah, just a stressful day is all,” She sighs.

”You know, It’s okay to take a break every once and a while,” Jim says. “You hardly ever miss work. You should take some time for yourself.”

”You’re right, Kiddo,” She says after a moment of thought. “I’ll check with the hospital tomorrow. I think I have a couple of free days next week.”

”Glad to hear it,” Jim says. “Now, go get some sleep. You look like you need it.”

”Thanks, Kiddo,” She says, planting a kiss on her son’s forehead.

”Love you too, mom,” Jim smiles. “Goodnight.”

\- - -

The next week, Jim sat down his bag after school. He glanced into the kitchen to see his mother sitting at the table with papers strewn everywhere. Her laptop sat open in front of her.

”Mom, I thought you said you wouldn’t do any work today,” Jim says, crossing his arms.

”This has nothing to do with the hospital,” She says. “I’m just... having another go at an old hobby of mine.”

”Cool,” Jim says, relaxing his ‘concerned son’ pose. “What is it?”

”Well, when you were little, I had this crazy dream that I’d be able to work at the hospital part time. I wanted to be an author. But, when your dad left, I had to find a way to raise you on my own. So I put my writing aside and used my spare time to go back to school and take care of you. I figured I should try and give it another go.”

”That’s awesome mom,” Jim smiles. “How does it feel to pick up your old story after so long?”

”That story has had it’s time,” She says. ‘I have a different idea in mind. About a boy who finds a magical amulet that has chosen him to be the protector of the trolls.”

”Hm... That sounds familiar,” Jim jokes. “I love it. I couldn’t think of anyone else who I’d want to tell my story.”

”Thanks, Kiddo,” Dr. Lake smiles.

”So, can I see what you have?”

”Absolutely not. A true writer shows their first draft to no one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I really like the idea of Barbara being really into the arts, and when this idea came to me, I knew I had to write it!
> 
> I hope you are all staying safe and healthy!


	13. Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Douxie takes Nari out for ice cream.

“We’re are we goin?” Nari asks as she follows Douxie along the crowded city street.

”You’ll see when we get there,” He says. “I promise, you’ll like it.”

They arrived at a store with a pink and white awning covering a teal door. Douxie held the door for Nari as she stepped inside.

”What is this place?” She asks in amazement.

“It’s an ice cream parlor,” Doixie says. “Come on, let’s order.”

Five minutes later, they sit down at a teal cafe table with their sweet treat. Douxie had chosen Java chunk while Nari had opted for classic vanilla .

Nari eyed the tear before sinking her teeth into it. Her mouth automatically snapped open. “Ow, is it supposed to freeze my teeth?” She asks.

”No, you’re supposed to lick it,” Douxie chuckles. “Like this,” he demonstrates for her by licking the side of his own cone.

”That makes more sense,” She says, taking a cautious lick of her ice cream. Her eyes light up. “This is amazing!” She takes another large lick.

”You might wanna slow down,” Douxie warns. “You don’t wanna get a-“

”My head!” She cries. “What has this horribly delicious substance done to me?”

”-brain freeze.” Douxie cringes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I’ve been overcome with the sudden urge to write about Douxie and Nari’s adventures in the human world, so be expecting a similar chapter tomorrow!  
> Have a great evening! (Or, ya know, whenever you’re reading this) Everyone stay safe and healthy!


	14. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Douxie gives Nari a human-style makeover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I didn't update yesterday. I will update twice today. Thank you all for being patient. Luv ya'll <3

Douxie strummed on his guitar. He'd been rotating through the same few songs for the last couple of days. People threw spare change into his guitar case as they passed. It wasn't much, but he'd only brought so much money with them, and he'd prefer to not go broke while on the run.

"Well, if it isn't the street nerds," a man in his twenties said, standing over Douxie. His he wobbled slightly, he looked drunk. Douxie sized him up. He could take him if needed. "What, did ya miss Comicon?" He laughs and saunters off.

Douxie rolled his eyes, deciding to ignore him, and continued playing.

\- - -

"That man was very rude today," Nari notes as she settles into her sleeping bag that night.

"He was," Douxie agrees. "But he had a point. We need to find clothes." He checks his wallet. "If we stay in this city for a couple more days, I can use a bit of our travel money for clothes. This city is huge anyway if we blend in, it should be hard for the Order to find us. I'll take you shopping after rush hour tomorrow," he decides.

He looks over and sees Nari already dozed off. He smiles as he settles into his own sleeping bag for the night.

\- - -

The following day, they headed to the local mall.

"This place is amazing," Nari says, looking around in awe. "So, where are we going first?"

"Follow me," Douxie says, leading her up the escalator and into a store.

"What should I be looking for?" Nari asks. "Humans wear so many different types of clothing."

"Well, I'd normally say you can wear whatever you'd like, but we're a bit short on money. So make sure it's something practical. Honestly, I haven't looked at a fashion magazine for years, so I'm not sure what this place will have."

Nari was automatically drawn to a sparkly green tank top. "What about this?" She asks.

"Maybe something a bit less flashy," Douxie says. "Here, let's try the clearance first."

After about an hour, they'd found two t-shirts, two pairs of pants, and a sweater. Douxie had left Nari with a woman to help her pick out undergarments while he ran to the makeup store to grab a couple of things.

They met back at the front of the mall 20 minutes later, bags in hand. When they arrived back at their hideout, Nari tried on her new clothes.

"How do I look?" She asks, stepping out of the back room. She wore a pair of skinny jeans (from the men's department because she needed pockets), a red t-shirt with a pink heart in the corner, and a black hoodie.

"Like... a human," Douxie says. "Wait, I forgot something," he pulls out a beanie from the bag. "To cover your horns. And tomorrow, I'll show you how to put on makeup so you can walk out and about without the whole 'cosplayer' disguise."

"Thank you, Douxie, you're too kind," she says.

"No problem at all," he smiles. "Besides, I think you look good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thnak you guys for reading! I once again apologise for not updating yesterday. I have nothing to say for myself. Comments and Kudos are always appreciated, I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!


	15. Homeschool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim prepares for a day of Homeschool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured since their school was destroyed, the kids in arcadia might be stuck doing homeschool for a while, so I decided: why not? Hope you like it!

Jim rolled out of bed, rubbing his eyes before checking the clock on his bedside table.

"Crap, I'm gonna be late," he mumbles, standing up quickly.

He grabbed his blue jacket, throwing it over his pajama shirt before making his way to the bathroom to fix his hair.

"Morning, kiddo," his mom smiles as he walks downstairs.

"Sorry I don't have time to make breakfast," Jim says, grabbing a granola bar. "I have a Zoom meeting at 8."

"Better hurry then," she says, glancing at the clock that read 7:55.

Jim opened his computer and logged into Google Classroom. He scrolled past his list of daily assignments to find the link. It wasn't there.

The clock read 7:58. Panicked, he called Claire.

"Jim, what's going on?" she asks after picking up.

"Did you find the link to Senor Uhl's meeting?" he asks, panicked.

"One sec, I'll check my email," she's silent for a second. "I can't find it, let me check my calendar."

"Did he post it somewhere else?" Jim asks nervously. Uhl was already upset about having to teach digitally, Jim didn't want to get on his bad side by being late.

"Jim," Claire says. "The meeting is tomorrow."

"Ugh," Jim says. "I'm an idiot. I'm going back to sleep."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else been in this situation? Just me? Anyway, thank you guys for reading! Comments and Kudos are always appreciated. To anyone else starting homeschool this year, students or teachers: good luck, and make sure to take care of yourself, I know it's stressfull. I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!


	16. Prom. (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardian's of Arcadia attend Prom.

Claire adjusted her dress as her mom finished up with her hair.

"I can't believe my little girl is going to her senior prom!" Miss Nunez gushes. "It seems like just yesterday was getting you ready for your first daddy-daughter dance!"

"It's kinda funny," Claire says. "When Jim turned into a troll, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get to do stuff like go to prom and graduate. And I was kinda okay with it. But now I'm really excited."

"As you should be," Her mother smiles. "I'm happy for you sweetheart. Jim is a good boy, and I can tell how much he loves you."

"The feeling is mutual," Claire smiles.

Before they could say anything else, the doorbell rang.

"Ooh, let me go grab my phone," Miss Nunez says, looking around the cluttered bathroom.

Claire opened the door to see Jim. He had a corsage in his hands and a big smile on his face. "Lady Claire," He says with a bow.

"Hello, Sir Jim," Claire giggles.

"You ready to go?" He asks.

"Wait! I need pictures!" Miss Nunez says, rushing down the stairs.

After Claire's mom was satisfied, Jim escorted Claire out to the limo. Toby, Darcy, Steve, Eli, and Krel were already waiting.

"Woo Hoo!" Toby shouts excitedly. "Let's get this party started!" They all laughed as the vehicle drove off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! I really wanted to show their senior prom, but there is so much I want to include. I wanted to write a bit in everyone's perspective, so the next few days will be all about Prom. As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!


	17. Prom (part 2)

Eli glanced around the Limo, smiling. He'd never thought he'd be going to his high school prom with his friends. And his boyfriend. In an Alien-tech limo.

He glanced at Steve. They were sitting closer than "just friends" would, but not close enough to make anyone suspicious. They'd agreed to tell their classmates that they were going with Krel for some bro time, but Steve had still surprised him with a small Prom-posal. He was not ashamed to admit that he had cried. Leave it to Steve to still make him feel special while they were hiding their relationship.

After Claire arrived, the conversation consisted of the girls complimenting each other's dresses (Claire wearing a sparkly blue and purple hi-low dress and Darcy in a yellow off-the-shoulder mermaid dress.) and debating who would win this year's prom royalty. Eli was almost certain that Jim and Claire would win. After they'd saved the town (twice), they became well known by the students at Arcadia Oaks High.

They arrived at school to see the lights flashing from the gym windows. Eli couldn't help but smile a bit, this was his forst school dance.

They entered the gym to find it filled with their classmates. Some swayed to the music on the dance floor while others mingled aroung the gymnasium with their friends, talking and laughing without a care in the world. He had the sudden urge to grab Steve's hand. Just to feel him there next to him.

"Are you okay?" Steve asks, noting his boyfriend's unease.

"Yeah, I just remembered I'm not the biggest fan of crowds," Eli says. "I'l be fine as soon as I get used to it."

"Do you wanna leave," Steve asks.

"No, I'll be fine," Eli says. "I just wanna spend time with you."

"Okay then," Steve smiles. "Wanna go grab some punch?"

"Absolutely," Eli grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! Sorry if this was a bit unaccurate, I haven't attended a ton of school dances. I really wanted to get this internal monolauge in, and you'll understand why in a few chapters. Anyway, I hope you guys are all staying safe and healthy!!!


	18. Prom (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guardians of Arcadia attend Prom.

Jim and Claire made their way to the dance floor as a slow song began to play through the speakers.

”Having fun?” Jim asks quietly, gazing into his girlfriend’s eyes.

”Absolutely,” Claire smiles. “Being here feels so unreal. After what Merlin did, I thought we’d never get to do this.”

”Me neither,” Jim says. “Which is why I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.”

”Because you aren’t a troll anymore?” Claire asks.

”Partially,” Jim admits. “But mostly because I’m here, at prom, with the love of my life.”

”Awww, I’m the love of your life?” Claire asks.

”I mean, I was head-over-heels for you before you saved my life multiple times. I mean it Claire, I love you.”

”I love you, too,” she smiles, resting her head on his chest as they swayed to the music. The world seemed to disappear around them.

Jim wanted to stay in this moment forever. He’d fought Trolls, Wizards, and Gods in the span of two years, and it was all finally over. He was here, at prom, with his girlfriend who’d been there with him through it all. He couldn’t be happier.

After the song stopped, they stayed in that position for a few more seconds before holding hands and turning towards the stage where Senor Uhl was making his way towards the microphone.

”Students, please direct your attention this way, it is time to announce this year’s prom king and queen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I love all of you! There will most likely be only 2 or 3 more Prom chapters, so I promise I’ll get to something else soon! Make sure to leave any suggestions in the comments, I love to hear your ideas! Make sure you’re taking care of yourselves, and that you’re all staying safe and healthy in these stressful times.


	19. Prom (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guardians of Arcadia attend Prom.

"It is time to announce this year's Prom King and Quee." Senor Uhl announces. "This year we've had more votes submitted than ever before. So without further ado, welcome you prom royalty: Jim Lake and Claire Nunez!"

The crowd parted to make way for the surprised couple. There were a few cheers and whistles from the crowd as they made their way to the stage.

Two members of the student council walked onto the stage and made a big show of placing the crowns on their heads.

"Would you like to say anything?" Senor Uhl asks.

Claire shrugged. "I guess I can," Jim says, taking the microphone. "Um, hi everybody," he begins. "I'd like to start off by saying thank you. I know you all probably voted for us because wesaved the town and all that, but we don't deserve all of the credit. We had a lot of help. From our friends, our family, and people we don't necessarily like." The audience laughed. "The point is, we didn't have to go through it alone, so neither should you. Sure, you may not be studying for midterms by day and slaying monsters by night, but everyone here still has battles they're fighting every day. Whether it's figuring out where you want to go to college or gathering the courage to tell someone that you like them, know you don't have to go through it alone."

The crowd was silent.

"You all know, I was a nobody once, too. And when the amulet found me, I thought it would be better for everyone if I took on the troll hunting duty on my own. I was wrong. So know that you can always go to someone if you need help. And if you can, try and be that person for somebody else. High school is hard, but you aren't alone. Thank you, goodnight."

"So, how did I do?" Jim asks as they exit the stage.

"It sounded like some cheesy high school movie," Claire laughs. "But I think the message was sweet."

"That's exactly what I was going for," Jim smiles.

"Come on, let's go find everyone else," Claire says, leading him back to their group's table where they ate and talked until the gym lights turned back on and it was time to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Make sure to leave any suggestions you have in the comments. I love all of you, and I hope you have a great day!


	20. Prom (part 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has a surprise for Eli after Prom.

After everyone else had been dropped off, Steve and Eli sat in the back of the limo, holding hands.

"So, how was your night?" Steve asks.

"It was fun," Eli says. "Though I wish I could've danced with you, I still had a great time."

"Well, I'm glad you mentioned that. I have a surprise for you," Eli says as the limo pulls up to his house.

"Oh, really?" Eli asks suspiciously.

"Follow me and close your eyes," Steve says, taking Eli's hand and leading him towards the backyard.

"Where are you taking me?" Eli giggles, narrowly missing a bush.

"We're almost there," Steve says, pushing open the gate and positioning Eli with the best view of the backyard. "Okay, you can open them."

Eli uncovered his eyes and took in the scene before him. Fairy lights illuminated the backyard, and a stereo sat on the other side of the yard.

"What's all of this for?" Eli asks.

"Well, I know we agreed that we didn't want to dance in front of the whole school, but I wasn't going to take my boyfriend to prom without apropper dance," Steve explains, blushing slightly.

Eli couldn't say anything, he was too busy smiling at the scene in front of him. _Steve had done all of this for him._

"So, shall we?" Steve asks, extending his hand. Eli grabbed Steve's hand and the music began to play.

Eli wrapped his arms around Stev's shoulders, and Steve rested his hands at the small of Eli's back as they swayed to the music, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes.

"So, what do you think?" Steve asks once the music stopped.

"I think I have the sweetest, most thoughtful boyfriend in the universe," Eli says. "But there is one more thing that would make this perfect."

"What would that be?" Steve asks.

"This," Eli says, using his arms to pull himself to Steve's height for a kiss.

Steve quickly caught on, lifting Eli by the hips until he had to tilt his head upwards to keep their lips connected.

"How was that?" Steve asks after setting his boyfriend down.

"Absolutely perfect," Eli says, blushing. "Thank you, Steve, for this- this means a lot."

"Anything for you, Pepperbabe," Steve smiles. "Come on, we need to get you home. I promised your mom I'd have you back by 10:30."

"Such a gentleman," Eli laughs as they walk hand-in-hand to Steve's truck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I'd been waiting to write this chapter since I started the Prom series. Make sure to leave a comment if you enjoyed, I love hearing from you guys!  
> I hope you're all doing well, make sure to take care of yourselves!


	21. Just Like Old Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Claire try out for their senior year musical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry for the late update. I forgot to tell you that I’m moving my off days to Monday. With the new school year starting up, I need a day at the beginning of the week to get all of my stuff together. I hope you can forgive me!

“Jim, Claire, may I have a word with you?” Miss Janet asks before they could leave class.

”Sure,” Claire says. “Is there anything you need?”

”No, I was just wondering if the two of you would be auditioning for the spring musical?” She asks hopefully.

”Sounds fun,” Jim says. “What are we doing?”

”I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Miss Janet says. “We’re doing Shrek.”

”Really?” Claire asks.

”I know,” their teacher says, looking defeated. “Principle Uhl said that if we want the funding for the performance, we have to do something that the student body will like. After much thought, we decided this was our best option.”

”Don’t worry, I’m sure it will be amazing,” Claire assures her. “We’ll see you at tryouts!”

\- - -

“WOW, big turnout this year,” Jim notes, surveying the auditorium, which was almost halfway full with students mingling about with their scripts.

”Have you looked over the script?” Claire asks.

”Yeah, but I’m not sure how good I’ll do, I’m not much of a singer.” Jim admits.

”I’m sure you’ll do great,” Claire assures him. “Besides, this is just for fun.”

”Maybe, but I’m still pretty sure you’ll get the lead,” Jim says.

”Awww, you’re too kind, I’m sure there’s someone here better than me,” Claire says.

Turns out, there was not. Some girls walked onstage and sang beautifully, but completely butchered their lines, while others recited the lines almost perfectly but didn’t hit a single note. By the time it was Claire’s turn, Miss Janet was rubbing her temples in frustration.

Claire walked up to the stage and delivered her lines with practiced poise and when it came to the singing, though she wasn’t the best, the entire auditorium gave her a standing ovation.

”You did amazing,” Jim smiles as she takes her seat.

”Thanks,” Claire blushes. “It’s almost your turn, break a leg!”

Jim stepped up to the stage, fidgeting nervously. He read from his script with great emotion, but when it came time for the singing, he didn’t have the same luck.

”Thank you, Jim,” Miss Janeth says after he’s finished. “Maybe you’ll make a good understudy.”

“Well, I tried,” Jim says, taking his seat next to Claire.

”You still had fun, Right?” Claire asks.

”Yeah,” Jim smiles. “It felt just like old times.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading!  
> I know what you’re probably wondering : Why Shrek? There’s a reason, I swear.  
> My friend auditioned for our school’s production of Shrek this spring, but she was unable to perform due to Covid-19. It was her birthday recently and I wanted to write this for her, so if you could please leave her a nice note in the comments, I would really appreciate it!  
> Once again, thank you so much for reading and for putting up with my wacky schedule. I love you all and hope you’re doing well!


	22. Renisance Fair (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians of Arcadia decide to attend the Renisance Festival.

"Man, I wish I had my armor," Jim mutters as he pulls on his knight costume. It was a nice costume, but nothing could beat the armor that was magically designed to fit him perfectly.

  
"You almost ready?" Claire asks, knocking on the door.

"Yeah, one second," Jim says, adjusting his chest plate in the mirror before stepping out of the bathroom. "How do I look?"

"Amazing," Claire says. "You've gotten good use out of that costume."

"Yeah," Jim chuckles. "Are the guys on their way?"

"Yeah, Krel just picked up Toby. It's too bad Darcy had to babysit. She would've had fun."

"Yeah, that's too bad," Jim says. He was about to say more when a car honked outside. "They're here, Bye mom!" He calls over his shoulder."

"You kids have fun!" Dr. Lake calls from the nursery.

They hopped into the back of the car. "Hey guys," Jim says.

"Are you guys ready for Renisance-themed awesomeness?" Eli asks excitedly.

"Um, I'm pretty sure we've already lived through, like, a week of it," Steve chuckles.

"Maybe, but at least this time no one will be trying to kill you," Eli points out.

"He has a point there," Claire laughs.

"The costumes look great, Eli," Jim says.

"Thanks," Eli smiles. "I never thought I'd get to go cosplaying with my friends! This is great! But I'm glad you guys kept your clothes from before, it was hard enough making three costumes."

"Yeah, I like being your knight in shining armor," Steve says, causing Eli to blush.

After driving for another 20 minutes, they pull into a large dirt parking lot. Eli sprang out of the car like an excited preschooler. "Come on guys, you're gonna love this!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! Normally, I'd have this whole thing be one bigger chapter, but its been a busy day and I'm just now getting to write this, so I'll finish the story tomorrow! I hope you're all doing well, make sure to get up and stretch and get some water. I hope you're all staying safe and Healthy!


	23. Renaissance Fair (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guardians of Arcadia attend the Renaissance fair.

After paying for their tickets, the group made their way down the dirt path that led to the fair entrance, where they were greeted by two women dressed as fairies.

”Welcome to the magical land of Camelot,” the shorter one greets them. “We hope you enjoy your visit.”

They are ushered into the town square, where there stood a large granite dragon statue.

”Huh, who would’ve thought. This place looks legit,” Steve says, surveying the shops and booths set up in the main area. “Though I’m pretty sure Camelot had a lot less Harry Potter merchandise.”

“Of course it’s legit, they’ve been doing this for twenty-five years,” Eli says, ignoring his boyfriend’s second comment. “I remember my first time coming here. The music, the performances, the food, it’s all so... magical.”

”So, where to first,” Toby asks.

”Follow me!” Eli says, leading them through the crowd of visitors. Before they knew it, they were halfway across the fairgrounds, where a set of wooden bleachers were set up to form a jousting arena. “Come on, guys, the first Joust is about to start!”

The six of them filed into an empty spot on the bleachers. “Remind me why you humans find this entertaining, again?” Krel says.

Eli explained the rules of the Joust as a round man in a squire’s attire began announcing the day’s competitors. The black knight wore armor as dark as night and rode a horse that appeared like a walking shadow. His competitor, the red knight bore the kingdom’s insignia. He was cloaked in red and gold and his mount was as white as snow. They cheered as the knights engaged in dramatic combat, which ended with the red knight delivering the final blow with his saber.

”I will admit, that was cool,” Krel says as the exited the stadium. “What else does this historical festival have to offer?”

They spent the rest of the day enjoying the festival’s many activities and eating fair food, Eli leading them through it all.

They crawled into the van at the end of the day, feeling exhausted.

”So, what did everybody think?” Eli asks.

”Camelot is a lot more fun when all of the witches are fake,” Claire decides. Everyone laughs.

”What do you say we do this again next year?” Jim asks. “Start the summer off right.”

”I’m down,” Steve says, everyone nods in agreement. It had truly been an amazing day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but these chapters seem to be declining in length and quality. I sincerely apologize for this. With the beginning of the school year, I’m getting less free time to write. Would you prefer if I continue with my current update schedule with short chapters, or update every other day with longer chapters? Please let me know, I really enjoy writing these oneshots, and I want to make them fun for you to read.  
> As always, I hope you are all doing well, and make sure to get up, get a snack and some water, I love you all!


	24. Checking In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Douxie calls to check in with the crew in Arcadia.

“Hey, Douxie,” Jim says as Douxie’s face appeared on the screen. “How’s it going?”

”You know, as good as it can be when you’re being tracked down by gods,” Douxie chuckles. “How is everything in Arcadia?”

”A lot calmer now that Trollmarket is up and running again,” Jim says.

”That’s good,” Douxie smiles. “I just thought I should let you guys know, we’re almost to New Jersey.”

”Wow, you guys move fast,” Jim notes. “Say hi to Blinky for me, he’s over there gathering materials for his new study. He’ll give you a good place to sleep for a couple nights, too.”

”I’ll make sure to head his way, then,” Douxie says.

”Oh, I almost forgot, how’s Nari doing?”

”She’s doing pretty well blending in with Humans. I think she’s having fun. And besides, if someone sees through her disguise, we can just say she’s a cosplayer.”

”That’s good,” Jim laughs. “Well, I gotta go do homework, but call again soon, okay?”

”Will do,” Douxie says, smiling as he puts away his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to everyone who’s still reading this! I’ve decided that for my own sake, I’m going to be updating every other day. I really just wanted to write a chapter with Douxie today, so... yeah. I hope you are all doing well!


	25. Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians of Arcadia graduate.

“James Lake Junior,” Principal Uhl calls. Jim walks up to the stage smiling. He shoes the man’s hand and waits a second before joining Toby on the other side of the stage.

They watch as the rest of their friends make their way to the stage,

Jim couldn’t help but remember his first day of High School. He’d barely made it to class on time, but Toby had saved him a seat. Later, they’d gotten lost on their way to class, and they walked into two wrong classrooms before finding the right one. Jim was so embarrassed, he thought it was the worst day ever.

Looking back, Jim hardly recognized the kid he was back then. The guy who just hoped to get through each school day without getting shoved into a locker. He’d grown a lot over the years, and Toby was there through it all.

Once everyone had received their diploma, their class was ushered to the front lawn to toss their caps. Afterward, their parents gathered them together for a picture.

”Man,” Toby says after the picture. “We did it. We actually graduated High School.”

Jim studied his friend. The boy who’d seen Jim alone on the playground and asked him if he liked Gun Robot. The kid who sat next to him after his dad left and told him that it would be okay. The friend who’d followed him through literal hell. The friend who’d always had his back. His hair had grown out, and his braces had been removed, but he was still the same guy. “Yeah, Tobes,” Jim smiles. “We did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I decided to hold off on posting this chapter until today since a lot of people are starting school today. Remember that even if today felt like the worst day ever, one day, you’ll be able to look back on it and see how you’ve grown. So everyone, make sure you’re taking care of yourself, get a drink, get a snack, and have a great school year!


	26. Wedding Bells and Troll-Like Smells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am painfully aware that I haven’t updated in a month, and I am so very sorry. School started up and I suddenly lost both my time and motivation to write. But I wanted to give you all one last chapter. I hope you can forgive me, y’all are the best!
> 
> Disclaimer: I haven't been to a wedding in years and google wouldn't give me a straight answer, so I'm just going with the fact that Trolls have weird traditions and wanted to put their own spin on human wedding speeches.

The sun had just set on the horizon and an assortment of Arcadia’s strangest creatures were gathered in the backyard of the Lake family residence. Blindly stood at the front of the crowd, with Strickler standing next to them. They both donned ties in an attempt at formality.

”You ready?” Jim asks, extending his arm for his mother to take.

”As I’ll ever be,” Barbara laughs nervously, smoothing down the front of her white knee-length dress.

The music began to play from Krel’s Akiridion speakers and the procession began with Claire, who spread a mix of human and troll flowers down the aisle. Jim led his mother through the crowd of their smiling friends and family. Barbara’s eyes were fixed on her soon-to-be-husband.

Jim dropped his mother’s arm, placing a kiss on his mom’s cheek before moving to stand next to Claire.

”Dearly beloved,” Blinky begins, “We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of two souls in marriage.” He recites the speech he’d found on the internet before allowing the couple to recite their vows.

"Barbara," Strickler begins. "We've been through so much together, both as friends and as enemies. But even when I'd mad emore mistakes than I can count, you still found it in your heart to forgive me. You still found it in your heart to love me, even when I look like this," He motions to his stony face. "When I started writing these vows, I thought they should be proper, traditional, but then I realized that that wasn't who I am anymore. You've changed me, Barbara. So I'll say this: thank you for everything, I love you."

There was a serioes of "awwww"s from the crowd before Barbara began to speak. "Walter, I first knew you as my son's teacher, then as a friend, then... well, things got complicated," She chuckles. "But after all that has happened, all of the fear and uncertainty, there's one thing that I'm sure of. I love you, Walter Strickler, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Toby brought out the rings and Blinky began to read again. "Do you, Walter Strickler, take this woman to be your trollfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," Walter says, locking eyes with his soon-to-be wife as he slipped the ring into her finger.

"And do you, BArbara Lake, take this troll to be your trollfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," She smiles, tearing up as she slips the ring onto Walter's finger.

"Then without further ado, I now pronounce you troll and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The backyard erupted into cheers as the couple kissed.

Jim looked over and caught Claire's eye. They shared a smile. Everything was exactly as it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, and for puting up with my crazy inconsistant update scheduel. Make sure to get a snack and something to drink and take care of yourselves. If you're in scool, have a great school year! I love you all!


End file.
